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Obituary
Dick Crain lived by a
simple philosophy: "Anybody waiting on me is wasting
time." Based on the life he lived, wherever he was
headed, it was more than likely somewhere he could
do some good for others.
A Jacksonville, Illinois native, Dick played
football and wrestled for Jacksonville High School
before going on to build a career with GTE that
started with him climbing telephone poles and ended
with him serving as Director of Engineering and
Operations for the Midwestern States. Along the way,
he moved his family across Illinois through
Jacksonville, Carlinville, Clinton, Streator,
Lincoln, Marion, and Bloomington before retiring to
El Paso Country Club. At El Paso, Dick ran finance
and operations and spent just about every day
golfing. He moved to Texas and then finally to
Georgia in his later years.
He married his high school sweetheart, Betty Ann
Hembrough, in 1960 and together they had two
children Jay Dickson (b. 1962) and Jennifer Sue (b.
1964) before Betty passed away tragically at 27. In
October of 1968, Dick married Lorraine Elaine
Arnett, who adopted and lovingly raised his children
as her own. It was important to him to send his kids
to a four-year college, an opportunity he was always
sorry to have missed out on for himself. He put them
both through University of Illinois and became a
loyal Illini fan for his entire life.
Dick was known for his humor, his generosity, and
his big heart, always helping friends and family. He
was also a great dancer and prankster. Once when a
boy was visiting Jennifer while she was in high
school, Dick did a cartwheel and then somersaulted
the length of the living room, exiting without
saying a word.
He instilled integrity and a strong work ethic in
his children and showered his grandchildren with
love. They knew him as the man who always got up
early to buy donuts, always let them drive the golf
cart, and never missed a meet or a game.
Dick is survived by
his sister, Sandra Crain Fosha, son, Jay Dickson
Crain (Donna), of Boulder, CO; his daughter,
Jennifer Sue Crain Kuechler (Keith), of Acworth, GA;
and his grandchildren Lauren Ann Lanza (Eric),
Spencer Hepburn Crain (Henry Heyman), Brett Dickson
Kuechler, Leigh Luerman (Brian) and Jackson Prince
(Leah Mayotte). |
He was preceded in death by
his parents, Donald Dickson Crain and Ferne Preston Crain
proprietors of Crain’s Motel in Jacksonville and sister,
Donna Crain Crews; as well as his wives, Betty Ann Hembrough
Crain (Palmyra); and Lorraine Elaine Arnett Crain
(Carlinville).
He will be deeply missed by all who never had to wait on
him. |
